Hair drier



Jan. 12, 1954 A. L. JONES HAIR DRIER Filed May 17, 1951 INVENTOR.

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Patented Jan. 12, 1954 HAIR DRIER Alfred L. Jones, Fresno, Calif.

Application May 17, 1951, Serial No. 226,889

1 Claim.

My invention relates to hair driers of the character embodied in the application of William R.,

Huber and Alfred L. Jones Serial No. 34,744 filed June 23, 1948, now Patent No. 2,576,226, wherein it includes a hood which, through a conduit connected to the exhaust side of a vacuum cleaner, is supplied with air under pressure to effect drying of the hair. 7

In such types of hair driers a filter is provided between 'the hood and the vacuum cleaner for filtering dust and other foreign matter out of the air as delivered to the hood, so that the hair of the user will not become contaminated thereby. Such a filter is permanently associated with the hair drier, and, therefore, is not removable for cleaning or replacement. Since the filter soon becomes clogged with dust and other matter it greatly restricts the flow of air to the hood and thus increases the time required for the air to effectively dry the hair. Therefore, to insure rapid and effective drying of the hair and without contaminating it, the filter should be frequently removed and cleaned, or a new one substituted.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a hair dryer which has an air filter embodied therein in such manner that it can be readily removed for cleaning or substitution, and equally readily replaceable after cleaning.

Also, in such types of hair driers the air delivered to the hood from the vacuum cleaner is exhausted to atmosphere through openings so located in the hood as to restrict the air exhaust and thus greatly decrease the volume of air circulated through the hood to increase the hair drying time required. Also, the location of the openings is such that they allow the air to be exhausted from the hood before it properly circulates about all areas of the hair, and particularly the areas at the front and sides of the head where the wet front and side curls are situated.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a hair dryer having a hood provided with only a single air outlet opening which, when the hood is properly positioned on the wearers head, is so situated that the air under pressure as delivered to the hood from an inlet opening in the rear thereof, is caused to discharge to atmosphere at the front and sides of the head, and to thereby effect complete drying of all of the hair and particularly the wet curls at the front and sides of the head.

I will describe only one form of hair drier embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing in front elevation one form of hair drier embodying my invention, as applied to the head of the user.

Fig. 2 is view showing the hair drier in rear elevation and as applied to the head of the user.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the hair drier.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the filter element shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a hood generally designated at H, which is preferably constructed of flexible and impervious sheet material, and large enough to enclose a substantially maximum crop of hair when blown up. The hood has a top sheet l5 of disk form stitched at its edge, as at IE, to the upper edge of an annular sheet I! which at its lower edge is gathered, as at l8, by a strip of elastic tape l9 to form a head encircling band 20 which snugly fits around the head in substantially air-tight relation.

At the back of the hood as it is worn on the head, an air inlet opening 2| is formed in the sheet I1, and stitched to the wall of this opening is the upper end of a flexible conduit 22 which is adapted at its lower end to be connected to the exhaust side of any conventional vacuum cleaner (not shown) so that air under pressure can be supplied to the hood from the cleaner. For such connection the lower end of the conduit is pro vided interiorly with an elastic band 23 which serves to constrict the conduit into clamping relation to the exhaust pipe of a vacuum cleaner.

Across the front and to the sides of the hood along a line spaced slightly from the band 20, an air outlet opening 24 is formed in the annulus IT. This opening is relatively narrow but lengthy, and is completely spanned by a flexible screen 25 secured in place by stitching and serving to prevent strands of hair from being blown outwardly through the opening.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, a flexible screen 26 having one end rounded at at 26a, and the other end 26b straight, is secured to the inner side of the sheet I! so as to span the inlet opening 2|. To so secure the screen it is stitched, as at 21, to the sheet l1 along its rounded end and side edges, but the straight end 26b is left free so that the screen coacts with the sheet to form a pocket having its entrance end facing and adjacent the head band 20.

Into the pocket as so formed a filter sheet 28 is received so as to lie fiat between the sheet ll and the screen and to span the opening 2 I. This filter sheet is preferably made of a porous plastic material which effectively filters the dust and other matter out of the air passing therethrough, and yet when dirty may be washed and reused.

A pair of strings, cords, or the like 29 are secured to the elastic band 2! at opposite sides of the hood, and are adapted to be tied under the chin of the user to secure the hood in position on the head with the conduit 22 at the rear of' the head and the outlet opening 2d at the front of the head and extending around the forehead to the sides of the head. The hood once applied is securely held in this position by. the elastic band 20, and the cords 29 and in such position it forms an enclosure for the hair.

In operation, the air under pressure supplied to the lower end of the conduit 22 from a vacuum cleaner enters the hood H through theinlet opening 2! and the filter sheet 28, and leaves the hood through the outlet opening 24. The air in passing through the sheet 28 has removed therefrom dust and other foreign matterso that it cannot enter the hood to contaminate the hair. Surprising is the rapidity with which dust accumulates on the filter sheet when the drier is used in connection with a vacuum cleaner. Thus frequent removal and cleaning of the filter becomes necessary to ensure free air flow. By the pocket formed between the screen 25 and the sheet 11 the filter sheet 28 is readily accessible for removal, washing, and replacement.

Since the outlet opening 24 is at the front of the hood, the air stream entering the back of the hood through the inlet opening 2!, is compelled to circulate over the entire head of the user before it is discharged to atmosphere. Because of the elongated form of the opening 24 and the fact that it extends across the forehead, the air leaves the hood below the hair at both the front and sides of the head. Since in the usual dress the 4 hair at the front and sides of the head is held in wet and curled form by pins, the location and form of the opening 24 ensures circulation of air over and about such curls to rapidly and thoroughly dry the same. This is an important feature of my invention inasmuch as in previously designed hair driers of this type, drying of the curls so located requires far more time than with my drier because the location and formof the air inlets and outlets are not conducive to a comparable course of air circulation.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of hair drier embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modification may be made herein without departing from the spirit of my invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A hair drier, including: a hood having an annular portion extendable around the head of the user, and provided with an elastic band on its lower edge for holding the hood on the head; an air inlet opening in the rear of said portion; a conduit connected to said portion at said opening for supplying air under pressure to the rear of the hood; an air outlet opening in and extending across the front of said portion; a screen secured to the inner side of said portion to coact therewith to form a pocket spanning the air inlet opening, and having an entrance end facing said band; and. an air filter of sheet material extendable into and removable from the pocket through the entrance end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,976,509 Olsen Oct. 9, 1934 2,481,407 Fluegel Sept. 6, 194.9 2,569,600 Dugan Oct. 2, 1951 2,576,226 Huber et al Nov. 27, 1-951 ALFRED L. JONES. 

